Carpet-stretcher.



PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

Y PETER KIRST, 0F SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 4Letters Patent No. 739,009, dated September 15, 1903.

Application ledMarch 12, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER KIRST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wis` cousin, have invented a new and useful Carpet-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in carpet-stretchers,and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character composed of few parts and which may be quickly and compactly folded for storage or shipment when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to,pro vide a carpet-stretcher the stretcher-bars of which may be adjusted longitudinally with relation to each other, so as to adapt the same to small or large rooms, one of the stretcherbars being provided with a catch adapted to engage a groove in the opposite bar when said stretcher-bars are forced downwardly to their full extent, thereby securely locking said bars together and effectively stretching and holding the carpet while being tacked or other-v wise secured to the floor. y

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims heretofore appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a carpet-stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention, showing ythe same in operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the stretcher, showing the sections locked. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the carpet-stretcher, which consists of a pair of stretcher-bars 2 and 3, formed of wood, metal, or other suitable material, oneof said bars being formed with a rack or series of downwardly and inwardly extending notches ,or recesses 4 on its outer Serial No. 147.524. (No model.)

edge beginning at a point adjacent one end ofthe bar and extending to a point near the center thereof. The inner edge or face of the bar 3 is formedl with a longitudinally'-dis posed groove or channel 5, extending through out its entire length, and the opposite face or outside edge of said bars is provided with one or more inwardly and downwardly extending notches or grooves 6, adapted to receive a bail or retaining-loop 7, one end of which encircles the bar 3, the opposite end of the loop passing around the bar 2 and fitting within one of the recesses 4: comprising the rack. The ends of the stretcher-bars 2 and 3 are provided with cross-bars 8 and 9, each of which is provided with a series of downwardly-projecting teeth or spurs 10, adapted toengage the carpet when the stretcher is in operation, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, and these crossbars are preferably detachably secured to the stretcher-bars by means of dowel-pins 1l, which enter correspondingly-shaped recesses or sockets 12, formed in the end of said bars.

Secured to the stretcher-bar 2, and preferably at a point adjacent the notched end thereof,` is a spring-catch 13, slidably mounted in a recess 14, the end of the catch extending through an opening formed in the inner edge or face of said bar and having its end portion inclined or beveled downwardly, as shown at 15, and adapted to engage the longitudinal groove 5 and lock the stretcher-bars together when said bars are depressed, firmly holding the carpet in a stretched condition while being tacked or otherwise secured to the ioor, as clearly shown in the drawings. The catch 13 is provided with a spring 16 for normally throwing the beveledlend of the catch beyond the edge of the stretcher-bar and has a suitable' handle 17, by means of which the catch may be withdrawn from the groove after the stretching operation is completed. y

From the foregoing description the operation of my device will be readily understood and is as follows: The teeth or spurs of the cross-bars 8 and 9 are forced into the carpet at the proper distance from the sides of the room and the inner ends of the bars 2 and 3 raised according to the distance the carpet is to be stretched. The end of the loop 7 is then TOO engaged with any of the notches comprising the rack at that point and the stretcher-bars forced down iiat upon the carpet, stretching it to the edges of the room, while at the saine time the catch 13 on the stretcher-bar 2 engages the longitudinal groove in the bar 3, securely locking them together and holding the carpet thus stretched while being tacked or otherwise secured to the oor. The stretcher-bars may be unlocked and adjusted to fit a larger or smaller room by simply withdrawing the catch 13 and sliding the bars back or forth, as the case may he, and engaging the link in the corresponding notches or recesses in said bars.

By having the groove extending throughout the entire length of one of the stretcherbars the catch will always be in position to engage it and lock the parts together when depressed regardless of the position to which said bars may be adjusted.

The stretcher may be compactly folded for shipment by removing the cross-bars and sliding the stretcher-bars longitudinally until they lie directly opposite to and parallel with each other, when the catch will engage the groove and theloop may be passed around the two parts, securing them together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A carpet-stretcher comprising a pair of overlapping notched stretcher-bars, a retaining-loop engaging the notches on said bars, cross-heads provided with gripping-teeth secured to said bars, one of the stretcher-bars being provided with a longitudinal groove or channel and the other bar with a spring-catch adapted to engage said groove for locking the bars together.

2. A carpet-stretcher comprising a pair of overlapping notched bars, a retaining-loop engaging the notches in said bars, cross-heads provided with gripping-faces secured to said bars, a longitudinal groove or channel formed in one of said bars and a spring-catch carried by theother bar, said catch being provided with an inclined or beveled end portion normally extending in advance 'of the edge of the bar and adapted to engage the groove or channel and lock the bars together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER KIRST.

Witnesses:

F. W. LEBERMAN, JOHN BALZER, Ser. 

